Zucchini Squash Parmesan

When I’m in the mood for a different vegetable, zucchini and yellow squash is always my “go to” vegetable, especially in the summer time. You can do so many fun things with squash. Of course, we love to marinate squash and grill it. You can put them on kabobs or eat them raw as a snack with your favorite dip. My kids are fans of ranch and zucchini, although my kids will eat almost anything dipped in ranch.

This recipe is a long time family favorite from my Mom, Carol DeFrancesco. With many recipes, I may tweak it a bit for personal preference. For this particular recipe, I use olive oil to brown and sauté my squash. My Mom used butter for the most part. The olive oil seems to be an easier and healthier alternative. This side dish is great with any meat of your choice. It’s easy to make, but it does take a little time to sauté the squash so be sure to plan accordingly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. Meanwhile, chop both the zucchini squash and yellow squash in large 1 inch pieces. (If you cut them too thin, they get mushy.)

Brown and sauté the squash approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Once finished, remove squash and add more until all finished.

Next, put all the cooked squash back into the pan over low heat. Spread the Rotel tomatoes or diced tomatoes evenly on top of the squash.

Season the squash with fresh basil and/or Italian seasonings and salt and pepper.

Last, sprinkle the fresh parmesan cheese all over the squash. Cover the pan to melt the cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Like with any recipe, you can alter this to your preference or what you might have at home. In the past, I always used Italian seasoned diced tomatoes, but then I tried a can of Rotel tomatoes with chiles. We love the extra kick from the Rotel.